Health & Beauty
Leatherhead Hospital set for new £500,000 x-ray suite Leatherhead Hospital will benefit from a new state of the art x-ray machine and refurbished x-ray suite thanks to the generosity of the hospital’s League of Friends. The League, a group of volunteers set up to fund equipment and facilities at the hospital, is donating over £500,000 to fully fund the project. And work begins on the exciting hospital renovations next week. The digital x-ray machine will replace the existing analogue equipment and enable a more comprehensive radiography service to be provided at the hospital. The new modern system can carry out routine, as well as more complex procedures not currently offered at the hospital, provide better quality images, and mean more people can receive an x-ray locally. The new machine, complete with refurbished waiting area, is scheduled to open in July 2016. Whilst work takes place, a temporary x-ray facility will be set up at Leatherhead Hospital so patients can continue to access x-ray services whilst the improvements take place. Audrey Mellers, Chair of the League of Friends, said: “We are delighted that the new x-ray unit that we are funding, to the tune of over half a million pounds, is due to open at the beginning of July.” Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group buys x-ray services at Leatherhead Hospital, which are run by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Claire Fuller, Clinical Chair of Surrey Downs CCG, said: “We’re very pleased to support this enhanced service for local patients and are delighted that the long-standing tradition of the League of Friends supporting Leatherhead Hospital will continue. The new equipment will help improve an important service for the local community.” Mina Deved, Head of Radiology Services at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, explains the widespread benefits. “The radiology staff are very excited about the refurbishment project planned for the x-ray department at Leatherhead Hospital and grateful for the kind donation from the Leatherhead League of Friends. The digital x-ray machine and a fully refurbished department will offer great improvements for both our patients and staff.”
Back row (l-r): Dr Fred Meynen, Deputy Chair, League of Friends; Mina Deved, Head of Radiology Services; Terry Savage, Honorary Secretary, League of Friends; Angela Symmonds, Primary Care Officer at Surrey Downs CCG. Front row (l-r): Robin Jacob, Senior Radiographer; Josephine Reynolds, Clinical Services Assistant; Pearlie Barcelo, Senior Radiographer. 52